Brassiere



Nov. 19, 1968 M. E. CHILD 3,411,510

BRASSIERE Filed Aug. 12, 1966 INVENTOR.

MARIEN ELAINE CHILD BY MORGAN, FINNEGAN, DURHAM a PINE ATTORNEYS UnitedStates. Patent 3,411,510 BRASSIERE Marien Elaine Child, New Haven,Conn., assignor to The Strouse, Adler Company, New Haven, Conn., 21corporation of Connecticut Filed Aug. 12, 1966, Ser. No. 572,104 4Claims. (Cl. 128-434) This invention relates to improvements inbrassieres.

The satisfactory performance of a brassiere as a figure shaping andsupporting garment depends in important part upon its position on thebody of the wearer.

Many brassieres have shoulder straps to prevent the brassiere fromslipping downwardly on the body of the wearer. However, such shoulderstraps also tend to cause the brassiere to move upwardly each time thewearer raises her arms, such shifts in position reduce the functionaleffects of the brassiere and cause discomfort to the wearer because thebrassiere tends to ride up i.e., remain in progressively higherpositions.

Other present practice brassieres are made with elastic body-encirclingmembers that tightly grip the body of the wearer to prevent upwardmovement. However, such brassieres still tend to move upwardly with achafing effect on the body, and, because of the tension created, tend toremain in the uppermost position.

It is a general object of this invention, therefore, to provide abrassiere which will remain properly positioned on the body of thewearer.

It is a more particular object of the instant invention to provide abrassierewhich will remain anchored in position at points on the bodywhere other brassieres have a tendency to ride up.

These and other objects, features and advantages are accomplished,according to the invention, by the novel arrangements and combinationsof elements hereinafter fully described and particularly recited in theclaims, and will become more apparent therefrom.

Briefly and generally, the invention resides in the provision of a pairof novel body-encircling members which will develop unequal tension whenstretched, with the greatest tension being developed in the portionsthereof which contact the body just below the shoulder blades, withsomewhat lesser tension being developed in the portions thereof whichoverlie the shoulder blades, and with a relatively small amount oftension being developed below the portions of maximum tension. With thisarrangement, the brassiere is anchored to and moves with the shoulderblades of the wearer both upwardly and downwardly. More specifically,the body-encircling members each comprise a back panel made of elasticmaterial having an elastic tape stitched diagonally thereto from a pointadjacent the top of its inner end to a point adjacent to the bottom ofits outer end and a stiffening bone ex tending along the inner end ofthe back panel to stabilize the elastic tape. The bottom portion of theback panel situated below the diagonal tape is folded under and the twolayers of material are stitched together along the tape.

Having briefly described the invention, a more detailed description isnow made by reference to an exemplary embodiment of the inventionillustrated in the drawing which forms a part of the specification,wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a brassiere inaccordance with the invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of a back panel of the brassiere takenalong line 22 of FIGURE 1.

Turning now in detail to the accompanying drawing wherein likecharacters of reference are employed to designate like parts on bothhalves of the brassiere in the several figures, the brassiere isprovided with a pair of cups made of a suitable non-stretchable materialfor receiving and supporting the bust of the wearer.

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Each cup 10 is illustrative of a three-piece construction. The upperportion 11 of each cup 10 is formed from a single piece of material ofsubstantially triangular configuration. The bottom portion of each cupis composed of an inner segment 12 and an outer segment 13 stitchedtogether along seam 14. Bottom segments 12 and 13 are in turn joined toupper portions 11 along seams 15.

Cups 10 are mounted into a front supporting member 16 which is alsoillustrative of a three-piece construction, having a centrally locatedpanel 17 of an inelastic material and a pair of elastic bottom panels 18which are secured to central panel 17 along seams 19. Cups 10 aresecured to supporting member 16 by means of seams 20.

Laterally depending from bottom front panels 18 and cups 10 are a pairof body-encircling members 21. Each of body-encircling members 21 is,according to the invention, of atwo-piece construction having aninelastic side panel 22 positioned between two stiffening bones 23 and24 which extend transversely of the long dimension of member 21,,and anelastic back panel 25. Bone 23 ex tends along the outer ends of frontsupporting member 16 and cup 10, and bone 24 extends along the inner endof back panel 25.

The left back panel 25 terminates in a tab portion 26 which is providedwith a plurality of eyelets 27. The right back panel (not shown) isprovided with a mating plurality of hooks for releasably engagingeyelets 27 in order to secure the brassiere at the back of the wearer inaccordance with the usual practice, as will be understood.

Each shoulder strap 28 of an adjustable pair is secured at one of itsends 29 to its associated back panel as shown in FIGURE 1 of thedrawing. The remaining end of a strap 28 is slidably and adjustablymounted by means of buckle 30 on a tape 31 secured at both of its endsto the apex of cup 10 also clearly shown in FIGURE 1.

Back panel 25 is constructed with an upper portion 25A and a lowerportion 25B. The bottom portion 25B of the back panel is provided withan extra length of material which is folded under and to the rear of thegarment (see FIGURE 2), and an elastic facing or tape 32 is stitcheddiagonally to the rear surface of the back panel where the edge of ,thefolded under fabric meets the front fabric of the panel. Tape 32 extendsfrom a point adjacent the top of bone 24 at the inner end of back panel25 to a point adjacent the bottom of the outer end of back panel 25.Also, upper portion 25A of back panel 25 has elastic facing or tape 33along its outer borders whereas bot-tom portion 25B is devoid of anysimilar facing or tape along its outer borders.

In accordance with the invention, the construction operates in thefollowing manner to prevent the brassiere from riding up on the body ofthe wearer. When the brassiere is secured by means of hooks (not shown)and eyelets 27, side panels 22 and bones 23, 24 are positioned on thesides of the body of the wearer and back panels 25 are positioned on theback of the wearer. The portions of back panels 25 immediately adjacentdiagonal tapes 32 contact the back of the wearer just underneath thebottoms of the shoulder blades. These tape 32 portions are stabilized bybones 24 and inelastic side panels 22. In addition, the double layer offabric combined with the stitching at tape portions 32 preventssubstantial relief of tension therein. The tape portion 32 cannot shiftand distort to accommodate the body of the wearer to the same degree asthe other portions. Consequently, the tapes 32 are in greater tensionthan are the remaining portions of back panels 25. The upper portions25A of back panels 25 overlie the shoulder blades and are in lessertension than are tapes 32. The double-layered bottom portions 25B of theback panels contact the smaller part of the back below the shoulderblades and are in minimum tension relative to the tape 32 portions andupper portions 25A.

When the wearer raises her arms, both the shoulder and the shoulderblades move upwardly. The shoulder straps tend to raise the brassiere.Since the upper portions 25A of back panels 25 grip the shoulder bladeswith some tension, the brassiere remains fixed relative to the shoulderblades and is carried upwardly therewith. The bottom portions 25B ofback panels 25, being in relatively minimum tension, move freelyupwardly relative to the stationary smaller part of the back withoutdiscomfort to the wearer.

When the wearer lowers her arms, however, the brassiere does not remainin the upper position. The back panels, being in greatest tension attapes 32 just below the shoulder blades, are carried downwardly by theshoulder blades with the bottom portions 25B of the back panels 25sliding freely downwardly relative to the stationary part of the back.The brassiere returns to the original position. There is no ride up.

Hence, the brassiere is effectively anchored by and to the shoulderblades of the wearer. The brassiere may move with movements of the armsand shoulders but there is no ride up and chafing is eliminated.

In the practice and use of the invention, variations and modificationsmay occur, and it is understood that any changes in the details,materials and arrangements of parts which have herein been described andillustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention may be madeby those skilled in the art without departing from the principle andscope of the invention as expressed in the ap pended claims and withoutsacrificing its chief advantages.

What is claimed is:

1. A brassiere adapted to anchor at the shoulder blades for movementtherewith when in position on the body of the wearer comprising (a) afront supporting member (b) a pair of cups mounted in said frontsupporting member for receiving and supporting the bust of the wearer(c) a pair of body-encircling members extending laterally from the sidesof said front supporting member and having means at the terminal endsthereof for releasably securing the brassiere at the back of the wearer(d) said body-encircling members each including a stiffening boneextending transversely thereof and an elastic back panel with its innerend adjacent said stiffening bone (e) said back panels each being formedwith an extra length of material folded under at the bottom thereof, anelastic tape stitched diagonally thereto along the juncture of saidunder-folded fabric and the outer fabric of said panel from a pointadjacent the top of said bone at the inner end thereof to a pointadjacent the bottom of the outer end of said panel, whereby, when saidbrassiere is secured to the body of the wearer, the upper portions ofsaid back panels above said diagonal tapes overlie and tightly grip thewearers shoulder blades for upward movement therewith, said diagonaltapes tightly contact the body immediately under and near the shoulderblades for downward movement therewith and the bottom portions of saidback panels below said diagonal tapes lightly contact the smaller partof the back for free upward and downward movement relative thereto.

2. A brassiere according to claim 1 having a pair of shoulder straps,each of which is secured at one end to one of said body-encirclingmembers and at the other end to one of said cups.

3. A brassiere according to claim 1 wherein each body-encircling memberincludes a first stiffening bone extending transversely thereof adjacentsaid front supporting member, a second stiffening bone spaced from andextending parallel to said first stiffening bone, and an inelastic sidepanel positioned between said first bone and said second bone, theelastic back panel having its inner end adjacent said second bone.

4. A brassiere according to claim 3 wherein an elastic tape is stitchedalong the upper border of each of said back panels.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,869,554 1/1959 Hollar 128-4982,973,764 4/1961 Steiner 128476 2,971,513 2/ 1961 Gingras l28494 ADELEM. EAGER, Primary Examiner.

1. A BRASSIERE ADAPTED TO ANCHOR AT THE SHOULDER BLADES FOR MOVEMENTTHEREWITH WHEN IN POSITION ON THE BODY OF THE WEARER COMPRISING (A) AFRONT SUPPORTING MEMBER (B) A PAIR OF CUPS MOUNTED IN SAID FRONTSUPPORTING MEMBER FOR RECEIVING AND SUPPORTING THE BUST OF THE WEARER(C) A PAIR OF BODY-ENCIRCLING MEMBER EXTENDING LATERALLY FROM THE SIDESOF SAID FRONT SUPPORTING MEMBER AND HAVING MEANS AT THE TERMINAL ENDSTHEREOF FOR RELEASABLY SECURING THE BRASSIERE AT THE BACK OF THE WEARER(D) SAID BODY-ENCIRCLING MEMBERS EACH INCLUDING A STIFFENING BONEEXTENDING TRANSVERSELY THEREOF AND AN ELASTIC BACK PANEL WITH ITS INNEREND ADJACENT SAID STIFFENING BONE (E) SAID BACK PANELS EACH BEING FORMEDWITH AN EXTRA LENGTH OF MATERIAL FOLDED UNDER AT THE BOTTOM THEREOF, ANELASTIC TAPE STITCHED DIAGONALLY THERETO ALONG THE JUNCTURE OF SAIDUNDER-FOLDED FABRIC AND THE OUTER FABRIC OF SAID PANEL FROM A POINTADJACENT THE TOP OF SAID BONE AT THE INNER END THEREOF TO A POINTADJACENT THE BOTTOM OF THE OUTER END OF SAID PANEL, WHEREBY, WHEN SAIDBRASSIERE IS SECURED TO THE BODY OF THE WEARER, THE UPPER PORTIONS OFSAID BACK PANELS ABOVE SAID DIAGONAL TAPES OVERLIE AND TIGHTLY GRIP THEWEARER''S SHOULDER BLADES FOR UPWARD MOVEMENT THEREWITH, SAID DIAGONALTAPES TIGHTLY CONTACT THE BODY IMMEDIATELY UNDER AND NEAR THE SHOULDERBLADES FOR DOWNWARD MOVEMENT THEREWITH AND THE BOTTOM PORTIONS OF SAIDBACK PANELS BELOW SAID DIAGONAL TAPES LIGHTLY CONTACT THE SMALLER PARTOF THE BACK FOR FREE UPWARD AND DOWNWARD MOVEMENT RELATIVE THERETO.